::sports are what I do::

Athletics, competition and sports are part of my every day life. As an athletic trainer, it is my job to be involved with athletics, athletes and everything that comes with this. And I love it. You may think that all I do is tape ankles. Yes, that is part of my job, and as I keep finding out, my list of job duties is always expanding.

My job description expands on game days. I turn into a sort of manager, running errands, holding things and delivering food. I even become water girl....balancing five cups of water with a towel over my shoulder. I am far too competitive though to be an athletic trainer. I can't simply sit there during games. I even turn into a sort of "coach" as I have been told by the actual coaches. I yell a lot! I am kind of a mom too. I have a sign up in my training room that says, "we are not your mothers, so please clean up after yourself". But yes....I do have motherly tendencies.

I am also finding that I understand sports analogies now. And who ever said that sports have nothing to do with life, they are wrong. And whoever said that being a Christian and being a competitive athlete is a contradiction, also wrong.

Somethings I have learned......

* You win some and you lose some. That is the reality of life and sports. But when you lose, figure out what went wrong, then do everything in your power to not let it happen again.

* There are some people who have natural athletic ability. But natural ability only gets you so far. After that, you put in time, energy and effort into making your self better. If you only want to be mediocre, then you put in the time in practice and that's it. But if you want to be great, you go above beyond. Spending time in the gym daily, putting up shots, working in the off season etc. It those extra hours of practice that will eventually get you what you want.

* You can only get so far if you don't care. If you don't care, your skill and natural athletic ability will eventually fade. Its having pride in yourself as an athlete, in your team and why you play that takes you the extra little step. Its the true grit of a team and an athlete that wins championships.

* In baseball, they use the term "hack" to describe a good miss. Seems kind of backwards. But not really if you think about it. They see a pitch, and just swing the crap out of the bat because if they did hit the ball, it is a definitely a home run. But if you miss, at least it was a good miss. Big risks get big rewards. But they also get big misses. But you don't know unless you swing.

* Every game you should leave everything on the field or court; hold nothing back. What is the point of competing, if you are only going to give 80% effort?

*Everyone plays for something, someone or for some reason.

So now.....you tell me......do sports have any connection to real life? Any connection to Christianity?

things that make me laugh and make me shake my head

I am taking a break from my massive paper. All the words are starting to blur together and I can't think of any really good, big, academic words to make myself sound smart. My brain just can't handle this 23 page chapter right now.....so, I find ways to distract myself.

1. The sport of curling. In the past week, I have found myself watching curling on TV. I don't understand it, I don't get how you score or anything. Its like a bad car accident; I don't want to look, but I can't help it! I am absolutely intrigued by this sport. And these "athletes" are so serious about it. They scream! One lady had her wrist taped up. Why in the world would someone need their wrist taped for this? Carpal tunnel from moving the broom looking thing back and forth really quickly?

And yet, I still sit there and watch it. Hmmm.

2. I feel like The Notebook is one of the most common movies played on television. Seriously, it is on every weekend! Come on television networks....there are plenty of sappy, ridiculous romance movies to play on TV.

3. So what exactly is the difference between pair figure skating, and ice dancing?

4. The people who look at you, see you with your hands full, and still hand you something saying..."hey, can you hold this?"

5. This......... http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-20-funniest-figure-skating-faces

6. Forward mass emails. I especially like the ones that say "if you don't pass this on, then you will have bad luck for 7 years". Oh, and my personal favorites are the ones that say..." you can take time to read long jokes and emails but will you take the time to pray" and "if you love Jesus forward this to 25 people". Because of my track record with these emails, I have probably racked up close to 145 years of bad luck and I don't love Jesus? Come on people. When I finally go home and stand in front of Christ, I don't think he is going to ask me "why didn't you forward that email.....you must not love me."

7. Snuggies. Whoever thought about making a blanket with sleeves? But what about your hands, won't your hands get cold? I think they are kind of ridiculous. I will admit though, there are times where I think to myself, "wow, a snuggie would be really convenient".

8. People who put....its complicated.....as their relationship status on Facebook. Face it...if your relationship is "complicated" and you decided it was a good idea to post it on facebook....it's over. The relationship is over.

9. The Jimmy Dean commercials with the man dressed up as the sun. He just looks silly. And all those other people dresses up as planets, clouds, lightening......kind of hilarious.

10. People who talk loudly on their phones in public places. No sir, you don't have to yell into your phone to help the person on the other end understand. I am pretty sure that if he doesn't understand, it has NOTHING to do with your volume. And I don't want to know about your friend in Vegas who is named Pauly and dating a girl in Santa Barbara.

11. Going to a book store, like Barnes & Noble and finding 6+ people sitting on the floor in the Psychology section reading self help books. I don't think the answer or solution to all your problems is going to be found in a self help book section at the bookstore. Just a thought.....

12. "Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're

going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to
be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the
direction from which you came, you have to first do something like
check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to
yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're
crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk. "

13. The new "People you may know" feature on Facebook. Thanks Facebook, I may know them, but I am deliberately not adding them as friends. Good try though!

14. I wish there was a specific font or something for when you are being sarcastic. That way, people would know that it was meant to be sarcastic.

15. "If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring

would probably just be completely invisible." I secretly always wanted to be like Carmen San Diego.....go to cool places, do cool things...and no one could ever find you! I never wanted to be like Waldo...he always had to wear that shirt. Red and white aren't my colors.

I think that is enough procrastinating for me! Happy Monday everyone. Find something to laugh at.....it just might change the course of your entire day!

because it is Valentine's day..........

I felt like talking about love is appropriate for today. A day full of roses, candy and massive teddy bears. A day, that back when we were all little, was spent in school with decorated bags and Valentines from every person in your class. Sometimes they would give you candy.....some would give you pencils....some would completely jip you and just give you a card!

To others, this day is called Single Awareness Day. I don't know about you, but I don't need a special day to realize that I am single. And I refuse to be the sort of girl that sits at home on this day, eats a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream mopping about being alone on a day designed to recognize love and relationships. Spare me!

I will be very honest here......I am content being single. I have learned more about myself and who I am in the past couple years on my own, than I would have as part of a couple. I have learned a lot about love. Which may seem kind of odd. Do I want to fall in love? Of course. But I want it to be REAL love. Not the type of love that has been watered down by society.

Also, I have come to realize how many different types of love there really are. Love is friendship. Love is family. Love is passion. Love is being in a place where everything just seems to fit. Love is knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be. Love is learning how to be loved and not necessarily understanding it. Love can be a place, a time or a circumstance. Love is so much more than an emotion. Love is how you spend your money. I read somewhere once that imagine the word "Love" written across your $20 bill. How does that change how you spend it?

The familiar wedding verse, 1 Corinthians 13 is one we have all heard. "Love is patient....Love is kind....". But the part that we forget is the part "Love never fails." Not just any love though. The type of love that is unconditional. The type of love you give to someone who doesn't necessarily deserve it, and you don't expect anything in return. That kind of love.....never fails. That is the kind of love that my Savior has for me. I don't deserve it, but I will spend my life trying to love Him in return.

So that is the way I will love. I will love with no expectations. No agenda. Unconditionally.

So I end this Valentine's day with this........

1 Corinthians 13: 8-10

^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS; I WILL COME TO YOU

Today was one of those days. One that will forever be ingrained in my mind, heart and soul. Instead of watching the SuperBowl, I headed to the airport. We would sit and wait in that airport for a good 45 mins. But it was well worth the wait.

We were there, waiting to welcome home Jill and Brandon and their new baby son Isaac. They spent the last 12 days in Ethiopia, finalizing the adoption of Isaac. For those 45 mins anticipating their arrival and then another 30 mins basking in the joy of the new family, everything was right in the world. I honestly can't remember anything that was going on around us. We were literally standing in the middle of heavy foot traffic in the airport, 25 people strong, all looking at this family that had just formed.

I couldn't think of anything to say. So I just hugged the new mom and dad, and held Isaac's little hand. To be a small part of their story was a blessing. Jill and Brandon's life will never be the same, and Isaac now has a family. That few hours of my snowy Sunday has left an imprint.

Hopefully some day, I will look back and reflect on that snowy SuperBowl Sunday as the day that I decided I would adopt.

Whether it is 5 years from now, or ten.........I will adopt a child. Period. End of story.